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Ski-doo factory bulkhead fix?

Wapow

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Dec 4, 2007
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Everybody hates their sled to fail or not to have confidence in it, not the sled itself. If just 10% have faulty bulkheads it is like Russian Roulette. The more you hit and get away with it, the more that confidence will build.

The problem with your theory is there hasn't been even a single example of a "faulty bulkhead" failing from riding the sled. It's always caused by hitting something. And suggesting a 10% failure rate? More like <1% have broken a module. I think maybe you're just trying to stir the pot. Do you own an Axys?
 

d1100t

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The problem with your theory is there hasn't been even a single example of a "faulty bulkhead" failing from riding the sled. It's always caused by hitting something. And suggesting a 10% failure rate? More like <1% have broken a module. I think maybe you're just trying to stir the pot. Do you own an Axys?

I'd sooner replace A arms or spindles or tie rods or what ever breaks in the suspension then have to remove the motor and replace what ever is broken in the chassis because that's where the weakest point is!
Something could be designed by the factories to break or give way without breaking the bulkhead.
It looks to me like it's more than 1% failure rate. It may be closer to 10%.
 
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Wapow

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I'd sooner replace A arms or spindles or tie rods or what ever breaks in the suspension then have to remove the motor and replace what ever is broken in the chassis because that's where the weakest point is!
Something could be designed by the factories to break or give way without breaking the bulkhead.
It looks to me like it's more than 1% failure rate. It may be closer to 10%.

I also wish Doo had made it stronger! But they didn't and I still love this sled! If I never hit a buried rock, I'll never have the problem. If I was worried about hitting rocks, I'd get a Cat. Now, what are you basing your numbers on? The internet reports don't match dealer realities. I'll bet the rate is also variable, based on where the snowpack is thin.
 

Wapow

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Some one is going to make an aftermarket bulkhead and make some money

I thought the same thing about the XP/XM version but it never happened. I was duped back then into thinking it was an epidemic of failures, but that was just on the internet.
 

Sheetmetalfab

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I thought the same thing about the XP/XM version but it never happened. I was duped back then into thinking it was an epidemic of failures, but that was just on the internet.

Duped?
Lol you are still in denial?

I've personally experienced the stacks of e and s modules required when an xp/xm is ridden hard. (Like real world)
 

Wapow

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Duped?
Lol you are still in denial?

I've personally experienced the stacks of e and s modules required when an xp/xm is ridden hard. (Like real world)

Ha! You may be right, when it comes to the G4. Time will tell. But in my defense, this sled really delivers (as long as you figure out the clutching and don't hit any rocks).
 
T
Dec 19, 2016
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Mapleton Utah
My dealer sold 44 summits so far with only one damaged bulkhead, and from what I understand he bashed it hard, so it would have broken anything. Other than that, guys are adding a little weight to the primary clutch. Nobody is breaking stuff or eating belts and we have lots of deep powder with no base here, so I don't think the issues encompass all of the summits out there. My group has 4 850s in it and we are all hardcore back country tree bashers and we are all over 400mi on original belts, our sleds are running awesome.

Coming up on 300 and 5% break in left and mine is sweet with no high belt temp
 

cabinman

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Everyone knows that casting is brittle and they bought their sleds still. The problem is people wanting brp to fix their f-ups. Would I be pissed, yes. Would I blame brp for me hitting a rock or tree, no. All these people should have insurance, so make a claim. If these bulkheads had broke while running down a trail, then that is different.
 

d1100t

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Weak bulkhead

Everyone knows that casting is brittle and they bought their sleds still. The problem is people wanting brp to fix their f-ups. Would I be pissed, yes. Would I blame brp for me hitting a rock or tree, no. All these people should have insurance, so make a claim. If these bulkheads had broke while running down a trail, then that is different.

So then how come Polaris Yamaha and Cat sleds don't have this problem?
They all get rode in the same areas. Same day. Same time of year.
You can hit a rock or a tree or whatever and not break the bulkhead on those sleds.
I've had my sled ghost ride over rocks. Rode it out with suspension and steering damage but no chassis damage. I still own and ride that sled.
 

Idahodoo

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NWaxys

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For those of you with experience on the grip in rip bulk head bracing, is this a fix or bandaid? Will it still crack under the bracing or will It actually be good to go? Just a question few of us going to get them if it's really worth it.
 

d1100t

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...you have 7500 first year sleds on the snow, and EVERYONE wants to know about them, hence the reports.


Ace

I'd be surprised if that's the case.
I think a lot of 2016 axys were sold.
There was also a lot of 2012 proclimbs sold.
I wonder just how many of each were sold???
 
B

BC SnoX

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Oct 15, 2016
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They use cast aluminum and glue to save money on manufacturing. I read that they eliminated 14 feet of weld when polaris went to pro chassis by glueing stuff together rather than Welding. The sleds keep getting more expensive and the construction of them keeps getting cheaper. There is something wrong with that formula. Until everyone snaps out of it and stops buying the peices of junk they selling we will be stuck with them. I ride a 2012 iqr and have never bent or broken anything on the chassis. My new pro rmk was in peices being fixed on a weekly basis. I will never buy a production sled again. The iqr is a quality made machine while in comparison a rush 600 is a terd. I ride snocross so it easy example, but powder riders need to start asking some questions about what they spending $15k on. The Freeride and assualt are not the answer either. They are both just as big a terds as there counter parts. I was looking at a buddies Freeride. I would be afraid to hit any sort of big jump on that thing. We build some fairly big jumps in back country when im not snocrossing and I need to trust the rig im on to stay in one peice. Glue has no place on any of my sleds and it should not have place in any sled. Tell manufacturers to put away the glue and cast aluminum. But you wont, you will buy the next new and improved terd. Why? Because average guy on a sled is a idiot. I tell less and less people i am snowmobiler as the sleds get bigger and more brightly colored. Next they will be putting 900s in cardboard boxes and selling them as sleds. The engine gets shipped in box, so why not use the box as bulkhead instead of aluminum. It will cut down manufacturing costs by 50%, they already replaced welds with glue why not start using cardboard with the glue. But it will be a pink and purple sled with box Bulkhead and radical 80s design and a really nice chris brandt designed tunnel bag and handlbar goggel bag. It will even come with a new matching Tobie or FXR onsie so you can keep warm while showing off your rig in the lot.
Ive said it once and ill say it again. The guys who aren't idiots always end up having to tow some tool out on his new sled so why not make the new sleds smaller so they easy to tow. Having to tow a 174 track out is not good for my sled. I mean you guys do look really cool riding 25ft long sleds but they dont actually work so why not stop being a complete self centered tool and at least make the terds a manageable size
 
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